Local centenarian happy to be working at Phil's

Frank Bruno, 100, right, poses with his cake with fellow workers at Phil’s Tavern in Blue Bell April 18. Bruno has worked at the tavern since 1972 doing inventory and maintenance. Seated to Bruno’s left is the former owner of Phil’s Tavern, Stephen Mallozzi. (For The Reporter/Gene Walsh)

WHITPAIN — George Burns and Bob Hope were still cracking jokes on stage when they turned 100.

Now officially a centenarian himself, Frank Bruno is thrilled to be included in that elite group of super-seniors who still find enormous gratification in gainful employment.

On April 18, his 100th birthday, Bruno’s longtime co-workers and friends at Phil’s Tavern & Restaurant in Blue Bell honored him with a huge cake, a party and enough goodwill to keep him going strong indefinitely.

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“I was completely surprised by it,” admitted Bruno, who started working at Phil’s 40 years ago at the start of his retirement. “There were a lot of people here and all my friends here went to a lot of trouble to throw me a party. I had a great time.”

Ordering beer and tending to general maintenance “legwork” at the popular watering hole has kept him young a long time, noted the man who was born the year the Titanic sailed and sank.

He brings his rare brand of dedication to the job seven days a week, said general manager Brian Lupo.

“Frank never stops moving. You never saw him without a scrubber in his hand or a bucket, cleaning something,” Lupo said. “He used to do some heavier work, even in his 80s, moving the barstools. Even if it’s changing a light bulb or running the vacuum cleaner, he’s always doing something. Whatever he has to do, he does. He’s down to working four or five hours a day now, but even if the quantity of work isn’t exactly the same as it was before, the quality is still top-notch.”

Bruno gets up at the crack of dawn and drives in from his Ambler home to arrive at work by 7 every morning, Lupo said.

“It’s not that he comes to work sporadically. He’s here every single day, seven days a week. We’re open every day except Christmas and the Fourth of July, and he’s even here those days for a couple of hours. He opens up, turns the lights and air conditioner or heat on, waters the plants outside. He’s very conscientious. You know if you call at 7:30 a.m. for a reservation, he’ll answer the phone.”

Even at home, the guy isn’t one to sit around loafing about the house, Lupo stated.

“One of his great nephews is a very good friend of mine, and when we stop by his house once in a while to see Frank he’s always doing something around home, with his screwdriver in his hand.”

Lupo said he always enjoys engaging Bruno in conversation.

“He’s a veteran and talks about being at Normandy in World War II, and you can talk to him about world events or what’s going on in Ambler.”

Never slowing down could be the secret to Bruno’s longevity, Lupo said.

“A couple years ago he was in the hospital for a week and it was touch and go for a while, but then he’s back to work a week later. Knock on wood, he hasn’t had any medical issues. I assume that’s his secret ... he never stops.”